The Labor enquirer., 1887-11-12
LONDON LETTER
starving Thousands Furious--
Protests Against Executing
the Anarchists.
s..,a, Democrats Maklns Headway n
the Municipal Elections Of
Great Britsln.
LONDON, England, Oct. r6.

which ndS SuuuS"J
nc has brought the question OF the
unemployed again to the front.
For some time past the outcasts
of the metropolis have taken up
,,heir abode every night in Trafal-
oar square, their numbers increas-
mo each night. On Tuesday last
tbe West end was startled by pro-
cessions Of these poor creatures
oarading the streets with red and
blacd flags demanding Work or
bread" The next day they. pa
r,ded the city and held meetings.
On Friday after a meeting of 1000
in the square the ymarched to the
Mansion house and sent in dep
utation to interview the lord may
or. The latter refused to see the
deputation and a meeting Of
some thousands was held after
wards outside the Mansion house,
at which the conduct of the lord
mayor in refusing to see the un-
cmployed's deputation was vig-
orously denounced. The parade
was again started but as the day
was drawing to a close the ranks
of the demonstrators thinned
considerably. When only about
zoo of the procession remained
the police without any warning
violently attacked and dispersed
them, seizing the red and black
flags. and injuring several persons.
Meetings we're also held yesterday
and to-day and the unemployed
say they will continue meeting
and parading. each time gowing
larger in numbers, until their de-
mands are attended to.
Needless to say these parades
Of starving men have caused a
great scare and the city men
are calling loudly for the parades
and meetings to be suppressed.
This is the first time the unem-
ployed have ever taken action of
themselves. Hitherto the Social
Democratic Federation has always
voiced their discomfort, and it has
seemed to many Social Democrats
a hopeless task to rouse the unem-
ployed out of their despair and
apathy. But that task seems at
last accomplished, and now the
unemployed are boldly proclaim
ing their refusal to starve any
longer in silence with plenty
around them. This will have
good effct upon local authorities.
i The various branches of the So
cial Democratic Federation have
sent communications to their local
authorities. setting forth the pro-
posals of the Social Democratic
Federation for the alienation of
the distress and providing useful
work at reasonable rates of wages
without the Intervention of con-
tractors. The authorities have
acknowledged these letters with
iarmore courtesy than in previous
years. The tone of the capitalist
press too, even while alarming the
Social Democrats who they say
are are at the bottom of all the
trouble, has entirely changed.
The papers no longer dispute the
tact that there is in our midst a
large number of men and women
who are becoming desperate
through wnnt and misery.
The infamous sentence of death
ON the Chicago Socialists has
caused a great deal of indigna-
uon here. AT nearly all the meet
'ngS OF the Social Democratic Fed
Grafton in London and the prov
,neeS tor the last ten days, num-
oerlng about 100. resolutions ex-
pressing sympathy with the con-
uemned men and denouncing the
sentence Of death. have been pass
co with acclamation. The anarch-
ISIS have held a meeting in Lon
uon' and last Friday a crowded
meeting Of the combined Social
% ooo'es was held at South place
institute for A.